Partners in perfection: Mitsuko Uchida and Beethoven in Philadelphia

Dame Mitsuko Uchida

By Cameron Kelsall, 20 February 2023

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“Uchida demonstrated how decades of living with this music can still reveal new insights”

Reviewed at Kimmel Center, Perelman Theater, Philadelphia on 19 February 2023

Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 30 in E major, Op.109

Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 31 in A flat major, Op.110

Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 32 in C minor, Op.111

Dame Mitsuko Uchida, Piano

Peerless Beethoven from Dame Mitsuko Uchida at Wigmore Hall

Vishnu Bachani, 12th October

Dame Mitsuko Uchida brings forth with crystal clarity Beethoven's masterful counterpoint and harmony in a recital of his last three piano sonatas.

****1

Uchida’s Beethoven meets Shostakovich’s farewell at Carnegie Hall

Edward Sava-Segal, 23rd April

Two incongruent journeys conclude as Dame Mitsuko Uchida and the Boston Symphony meet in New York.

****1

Delicacy at the cost of spark: Mitsuko Uchida with the Mahler CO

Mengguang Huang, 26th January

While Uchida’s performances showcase remarkable precision and refinement, they occasionally feel restrained, leaving room to explore the improvisatory charm that make Mozart’s music so compelling.

***11

Philadelphia Orchestra delivers memorable Carnegie Hall finale

Susan Stempleski, 31st May

In their final Carnegie Hall appearance of the season, the Philadelphians offered a superbly integrated program bookending a Valerie Coleman premiere with groundbreaking pieces by Ravel and Debussy.

****1

Magic and solemnity: Uchida and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Susan Stempleski, 28th March

Mitsuko Uchida and the MCO continue their exploration of Mozart’s piano concertos and the players deliver a polished New York premiere of Jörg Widmann’s Chorale Quartet.

****1

The Philharmonia at home with Beethoven, at sea with Sibelius

David Karlin, 25th January

A concert of two halves: the Philharmonia and Dame Mitsuko Uchida light up Beethoven with the essence of Classical style, but the orchestra struggles in Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen Suite.

***11

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Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall is a classical music critic and cultural reporter. He has written for Bachtrack since 2019, and his byline has appeared in many national and international classical music publications. Based in Philadelphia, he regularly travels around the United States for musical events. In addition to his career in journalism, Cameron also teaches in the Theatre Arts program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified sommelier and avid home cook. His favorite composer is Mahler. Twitter: @CameronPKelsall.